Kazakhstan expedition: Kashgar today and before

The expedition from Kazakhstan Following Shoqan Walikhanov’s Caravan Route has compared the old and the new faces of the ancient city Kashgar.

23-year-old Shoqan, disguised as a merchant named Alimbai, arrived in the ancient city of Kashgar on October 1, 1858. He moved in with his supposed relatives and began studying the region. For five months the Kazakh scientist immersed himself in learning the local way of life, culture and customs.

The Kazakh expedition members walked the ancient winding streets in the historical part of the city. They talked with the locals and imagined how Shoqan Walikhanov felt and what he thought about the city when he lived here. The members of the expedition also met with a local artisan, who shared his undertanding of life with them.